Loyalty Lies Within
by WildCat327
Summary: Kim finds herself in a situation that she would have never thought possible.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note and Disclaimer:  This is a dark little fic that I thought up when I was in a strange mood.  Things may become a little disturbing in later chapters so be warned.  That's all I can say without spoiling it right now.  BTW, I don't own Kim Possible or any other characters.  They belong to Disney.  

Loyalty Lies Within 

Kim Possible's Kimmunicator beeped frantically just as she was about to head home from school for a relaxing evening with her best friend, Ron Stoppable.  "Well, looks like Naco night is going to be postponed." She muttered, fishing the device from her pocket.  "What's the sitch, Wade?" 

"It's Drakken!" The young boy on the screen said anxiously.

"That's a shocker." Ron poked his head over Kim's shoulder into Wade's view. "Leave it to the blue freak to ruin Naco night!" 

"Awww…. no Nacos." A small, hairless creature whined from the pocket of Ron's cargo pants.

"Sorry Rufus, business before pleasure buddy."  Ron stroked the naked mole rat's head soothingly.  

"What's he done this time?" Kim asked.

"I'm not sure what he's up to, but video surveillance from the Middleton Museum captured Shego stealing the ten carat blue diamond on display.  I've tracked their location to an abandoned warehouse on the lower east side of the city.  I'm sending you the address now."  

"Soooo typical." Kim commented.  "We're on it, Wade."  She switched off the Kimmunicator and dropped it back into her pocket.  Turning to Ron, she said "This will be a cinch, we'll be home in an hour and still have time for Naco night."  

"Yeah, try telling that to my stomach!" The blond boy groaned, rubbing his midsection.

*****

"Here's your rock."  The green and black clad villianess dropped a million dollar diamond into her associate's lap.  

"Excellent work, Shego.  Excellent."  Dr. Drakken murmured as he studied the diamond, rolling it lovingly over his fingertips.  

"What are you going to do with it?"  Shego asked curiously.

"Nothing."

"WHAT?  You mean I had to go out and risk getting busted simply because you wanted a pretty _rock_!"  Shego could feel her blood pressure rising with each word.

"Relax before you hurt yourself, Shego."  The blue-skinned villain said calmly.  "It's all part of my plan."

"Oh no, not another one of your oh-so-brilliant schemes."  Shego sighed and plopped down at the table, placing her hands under her chin in boredom.

"I had you steal the diamond merely to attract Kim Possible's attention." Drakken's eyes lit up as he began to explain his intentions.

"Are you kidding me?  You actually _want_ that little brat poking her nose around here?"

"Exactly!  Now tell me, if Kim Possible has one weakness, what would it be?"  Drakken asked. 

Shego cocked her head slightly, long black tresses falling over her shoulder.  She was obviously giving the question serious consideration before answering.  "Well, I guess it would be that goofy sidekick of hers.  She seems to have a thing for him."  

"Right!  And wherever Kim goes, the buffoon always follows!"  

"So?"  Shego rolled her eyes at Drakken's statement of the obvious. "Where are you going with this?"  

"I think I've finally figured out a way to break Kim's spirit once and for all!"  Drakken's voice dripped with excitement.  

Shego stared at him with renewed interest.  "Let me guess, we're going to torture him while we make her watch!"  A smile spread across her face as the plan began to take shape. 

"No, worse than that Shego.  We want to break her spirit, not piss her off."

"So what do you have in mind?"  

"We're going to turn him against her!  Imagine the look on little Kimmie's face when her trusted friend suddenly turns bad and betrays her!"  Drakken howled with evil laughter.  

"Hmmm…I think you may be onto something here, Dr. D." Shego smirked with malice in her eyes.  

*****


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks for the free lift, Tom." Kim called to the taxi driver through the open window.  

"No problem, Kimberly.  It was the least I could do after you apprehended that carjacker trying to make off with my wheels and money last month." The man replied from behind the wheel of the yellow cab.   He sped away, leaving Kim and Ron standing in front of a vacant warehouse in the run-down section of town.     

"Why do villains always try to find the spookiest, creepiest places possible to hang out?"  Ron asked nervously, surveying the surroundings. 

"It's in chapter one of the Villain Handbook—'Your lair must always be the creepiest, spookiest place you can find.'"  Kim said with a grin and nudged her friend in the side with her elbow playfully.  

"Very funny, KP.  Lets just get this over with cause I'm starving"  

"Okay, first we try the door. If that doesn't work, we climb up to the roof."

"Since when has the door _ever_ worked?" Ron asked.  

Kim walked over to the entrance and turned the knob.  The rusted metal under her hand wouldn't budge at first, but then it suddenly started to give.  She persisted until the ancient door slowly opened with a loud creak. "I guess there's a first time for everything."

"That was too easy. Now I'm nervous."  Ron remarked before following Kim into the darkness.

*****

"They're in!" Drakken watched the two teens from his video surveillance monitor in the heart of the layer.  "Time to go make our visitors feel welcome, Shego."  He handed her a small grenade-like device and a gas mask.  

"Why do I have to do everything?"  She protested

"Because I'm the brilliant scientist and you're the sidekick. Now quit your complaining and go!"

Shego shot him an evil glare, but didn't argue further.  She accepted the grenade and the mask before leaving the room. 

*****

Kim's flashlight shined through the expansive main room of the warehouse. The interior was littered with empty cardboard boxes and broken-down machinery.  Thick dust hung in the musty-smelling air.  Suddenly, one of the boxes toppled over followed by a piercing screech.

"What was that?"  Ron yelped, grabbing Kim's arm.  

"Relax, it was just a rat."  She said and followed the rodent across the floor with her light.  

"I'm really getting a bad vibe about this place, KP."

"You say that every time we break into a villain's sinister lair."

"I know, but this time it's different.  We're heading down a bad road here."  Ron said uneasily.

"You should really listen to your dopey sidekick once in awhile, Kimmie." A voice came from the darkness at the far end of the room.

Kim didn't have to point her flashlight to know who the voice belonged to. "Shego!" She growled.

"Bad road, bad road, bad road…" Ron repeated.

"Why don't you stop hiding in the shadows so I can kick your ass and get it over with!" Kim called to her unseen foe.

"In your dreams!" Shego yelled and lunged toward Kim.

Taken off guard, Kim was thrown backwards.  The flashlight tumbled across the floor and flickered out.  Suddenly an eerie green glow filled the room as Shego switched on her plasma gloves. Shego swiped at Kim's face with the gloves, leaving a gash upon her cheek.  

"Kim!  Are you okay?" Ron called, frantically searching for the flashlight in the darkness.  

Kim instinctively brought her hand up and felt slick blood seeping from the wound.   In one swift movement, she jumped back to her feet and slammed her fist into Shego's soft abdomen.  The woman cried out in pain, but quickly shook it off and lashed out with her fiery gloves once again.  Kim flipped backwards, dodging the blow.  

"Enough of this. Time for nighty night!"  Shego grabbed the gas mask from her belt and slipped it over her face.

Ron located the flashlight and switched it on just in time to see Shego pull the pin from the small device in her hand and toss it in Kim's direction.  "Watch out KP!  She's got a grenade!"  He flew across the room as fast as his feet would allow and grabbed Kim's arm, then sent them both diving into a pile of boxes.  

The 'grenade' didn't explode as was expected.  Instead, it emitted a dense fog that quickly started to fill the room.   "Hold your breath Ron." Kim whispered, feeling slightly lightheaded.  "Ron?"  Her hand shot out and lightly punched the boy lying beside her.  

"Sorry…KP…. can't…" He murmured, and then fell silent.    

Kim realized that it was too late for Ron—he was already going under.  She consciously blocked off her airways and scrambled to her feet.  Fumbling in the darkness, she headed in the direction that she thought was the door.  She silently cursed after crashing into another large pile of boxes.  Her senses had been turned around during the battle with Shego. Rising back to her feet, she took a few more tortured steps.  Despite her efforts, reflexes overtook willpower and she involuntarily inhaled several deep breaths of the noxious air.  Within seconds blackness consumed her.    


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:  Thanks for the reviews!  I'm glad you like it so far.  Well, here comes the reason for the "R" rating.  As I said before, the next two chapters are very dark and may be kind of disturbing for some, so be warned.  You can flame me if it makes you feel better, but don't say I didn't give you a fair warning. 

Chapter 3 

Kim opened her eyes drowsily, unsure of her surroundings.  She attempted to move her arms, only to find that something was preventing her from doing so.  Abruptly, she became fully conscious when she realized that she had been chained in a standing position to a cold, concrete wall.  Her arms were stretched painfully out from her body with thick, metal braces clasped around her wrists. Her muscles felt like they were on fire from being locked in such an unnatural arrangement for so long.  Chains were also securing her ankles with just enough give for her feet to rest comfortably on the floor.  In this position, she was completely defenseless.  

"Drakken!" Kim shouted. "Let me go!  You can't keep me here!  _Let me go_!"    In spite of her screams, no one came through the door of the small room.  She struggled against the metal bonds, even though she knew the attempt was futile.  All she succeeded in was rubbing her wrists raw against the restraints.  She turned her head and winced at the thin trickle of blood that had begun to seep down her arm.  Giving up, she slumped down in defeat.  Drakken had even gone so far as to take her Kimmunicator and utility belt so Wade couldn't even help her.  Her only hope now rested in Ron escaping and coming to free her.     

*****

"Behold, my newest weapon Shego!" Drakken held up a small vial of clear liquid. 

"Looks like water to me."  Shego said without enthusiasm.

"Trust me, Shego.  It's definitely not water.  A small injection of this stuff will cause a person to act completely opposite of how they normally would." 

"And you're going to try it out on blondie over there."  She pointed to Ron, who was slumped over the table with his hands tied behind his back.  Rufus uttered a low growl from the cage beside him.  

"Right! Under the influence of this drug, the buffoon will become just as heartless and evil as we are! Given his normal caring and sensitive demeanor, no telling what kind of monster he'll become.  Kim Possible won't know what hit her" Drakken bubbled with excitement.

"Why not just use the mind control chip?" Shego asked. 

"This is so much better than the mind control chip, Shego.  It allows the affected person to act completely believable, instead of like a mindless drone.  The person remembers everything about their previous life so there is no indication that they are even being subjected to mind control.  It's foolproof!"  

"We'll see." Shego said disbelievingly.  

"I think you're going to be surprised this time."  Drakken extracted a needle and syringe from his pocket and began to fill the tube with the clear liquid.  After checking for air bubbles, he jammed the needle into Ron's arm and emptied it's contents.  "I can't wait to see the look on the brat's face when her beloved sidekick betrays her!" 

*****

Kim lifted her head and squinted at the bright light flooding in from the open doorway.  Her eyes adjusted enough to make out two silhouettes that she easily recognized as Drakken and Shego.  Anger boiled in her blood as she faced her captors.

"Let me go or I'll have Global Justice all over your ass!" She spat.  

"What's the matter? Is little Kimmie in a bind?" Shego chuckled at her own joke. 

"Why are you holding me prisoner?  Normally you just escape at the first chance.  This is a new one for you, Drakken."  She hissed. 

"Yeah, well I decided that it's time for a different approach."  Drakken said casually.

Irritated at his lack of response, Kim decided to change the subject.  "Where's Ron?  If you've hurt him, I swear I'll choke the life out of you with my bare hands."  

"Don't worry, your boyfriend is just fine.  In fact, I would say he's feeling great."  Drakken said. 

"What's that supposed to mean?"  Kim asked, feeling uneasy about the remark. 

Drakken smiled evilly and turned to the open doorway.  "Ron, our visitor wants to speak with you." He called into the adjacent room.

A bewildered look came over Kim's face.  This wasn't making any sense at all.  Why was Drakken calling Ron by his first name and referring to her as "our visitor?"  She breathed a sigh of relief when Ron's familiar face entered the room, apparently unharmed.  

"Ron!  Thank God you're okay!  Lets get out of here!"  Kim said with renewed hope.  If Ron could find the key to unlock her restraints, then together they could put Shego and Drakken out of commission and escape.  

"Why would I want to do that, KP?"  Ron's voice had a strange tone to it.  .  

"What do you mean, Ron?  Isn't it obvious?"  

"I think you're fine just were you are."  The boy's face contorted into a wicked grin, an expression unlike anything Kim had ever seen on him before.  

"R-Ron?  What's wrong?  What have they done to you?"  Kim stammered.  She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"They haven't done anything to me _Kimmie_." Ron's eyes narrowed. "Maybe I'm just sick of being your dopey sidekick.  Maybe I just decided to join up with some people who actually appreciate me."  He stepped closer to her and gazed challengingly in her eyes.  

"Ron, I never thought of you as my sidekick.  We're partners."  His icy words brought the telltale stinging of tears to her eyes.  

"Bullshit!"  Ron screamed.  His hand shot out at lightening speed and slapped her hard across the cheek.  Kim reeled back from the blow, a look of fear suddenly spreading over her face.  "You _never_ thought of me as your partner, bitch!  You always use me as the distraction so _you_ can claim the victory and take all the credit."

"That's so not true, Ron." Kim said, tears flowing freely now. 

"Shut-up!" He barked, slapping her again. A thin trail of blood trickled down her chin where the impact had split her lip. "You know it's true!  It's always 'Kim Possible saves the day again, Kim Possible—teen hero.'  No one ever mentions goofy Ron Stoppable—the idiot who risked his life so Kim Possible could do all those amazing things.  Nobody even knows my fucking name!"  

"Please stop, Ron!  This isn't you." She wailed..

"Oh, but it is me, KP.  You just never bothered to notice before.  You prance around thinking you're so popular.  You say we're best friends when we're alone, but you barely even associate with me at school   I guess hanging around with a fucking loser like me is bad for your perfect image!  Don't think that I don't know how you and those other stuck-up bitches laugh at me during cheerleading practice!"  He reinforced his point with a hard punch to her stomach.  

Kim groaned, sagging helplessly in her restraints.  She hung her head in shame, wondering if what he said actually had some validity to it.  

"What's the matter?  Truth hurts?"  Ron grabbed neck, forcing her to look at him.  

"I know the real Ron is in there somewhere." She managed to choke out between sobs when he finally released his grip.

"Sorry, KP.  The old Ron died.  Dr. Drakken showed me that I could be so much more than an under appreciated sidekick.  It's simple, really.  I don't know why I didn't think of it before."  Ron snarled inches from her face.  

"What are you going to do—become a villain?  That's crazy. You're a crime fighter.  You stand for justice!"

"Correction.  I was a crime fighter.  Those days have officially ended, KP.  Now all I have to do is get rid of you so I can start my new life."  He reached to his belt and pulled out a hunting knife.  The blade glittered in the light as he brought it close to her neck.  

"Where did you get that?" Kim's eyes widened in fear.

"Doesn't matter.  All that matters is what I'm going to do with it." Ron looked deep into Kim's terrified eyes as he applied pressure and dragged the knife along her throat.  He smiled as the cut started to weep thick, dark blood.    Kim began to whine softly from the pain.

"This is going better than I had planned!"  Drakken whispered from the doorway where he and Shego were watching the scene unfold.  

"Are you going to let him kill her?  I thought we just wanted to break her spirit."  Shego asked uneasily.  Although she liked to think of herself as purely evil, she'd never participated in murder before.  She didn't like where this was heading.  

"Why not?  We can be rid of her for good!"  Drakken growled.  

"But Drakken, as much as we hate Kimmie, I really don't think it's a good idea to kill her in cold blood like this.  If they catch up with us, they'll give us the death penalty."  

"The buffoon is going to kill her, not us."  

"Yeah, but they'll figure out that we made him do it.  We'll be directly responsible."  Shego tried to talk some sense into him. 

Ron swiped at Kim's neck with the blade again, eliciting another terrified scream from her.  "That's for all the times you ignored me in front of your popular little friends, bitch!" He yelled hatefully.  

"I guess you're right Shego.  This is going too far."  Drakken gave in.  He walked over to Ron and put a hand on his shoulder.  "That's enough for now." He said soothingly.  "We don't want to kill her just yet." 

"Why not?"  Ron turned to face the man with fire in his eyes.  

"Well…uh…because we want to have save some fun for later."  Drakken stammered, making up and excuse off the top of his head.  

"Ya know…you're right Dr. D. I don't think I'm quite through with her yet.  There is one thing that I've wanted to do for a long time…" Ron turned back to Kim with a menacing grin.  He raised his hand and ran it through her smooth, auburn hair.  

Drakken's eyes bulged in surprise when he realized the boy's intentions.  He backed away, returning to Shego.  "Come on, I think these two need some time alone."  He tugged at her arm.

"You're not going to actually let him…" Shego protested. Her stomach tuned in revulsion.  Although she hid her feelings, she felt pity for the poor girl.  Her female intuition told her that Kim's fate was one of the worst imaginable.  

"It's perfect Shego, think about it. When he's done with her, they'll have to ship little Kim off to the nut ward!"  Drakken's eyes were practically glowing with wickedness as he left the room.  

Shego sighed, feeling powerless to the situation.  Her eyes briefly met Kim's pleading gaze. She quickly turned her head away and followed Drakken from the room, closing the door behind her. 


	4. Chapter 4

WARNING:  The following contains nonconsensual sex.  If that offends you, then skip this one chapter (the rest of the story should still make sense if you don't read it.)  See author's notes at the end.  

Chapter 4 

Ron let his eyes roam lewdly over Kim's body while he continued to stroke her hair.  

"Ron, don't do this."  She begged softly. 

"Don't tell me what to do!"  Suddenly, he balled his hand into a fist around her flowing tresses.  She yelped in pain as he yanked her hair forward, forcing her face closer to his.

His scent invaded her nostrils.  The clean mixture of soap and spicy cologne that used to comfort her now struck fear in her heart.  She clamped her eyes shut and tried to shake off the wave of nausea that passed through her.   

"What's wrong, KP?  The thought of being with a loser like me make you sick? I'm sure this is nothing new for a slut like you.  Rumor has it that you've had plenty of experience with Josh Mankey."  He covered her lips with his in a savage kiss, forcing his tongue deep inside her mouth to muffle her cries.    

"Not like this, please!"  She sobbed, gasping for air when he finally broke the kiss.

Ignoring her protests, he ran his tongue down her slender neck tasting the coppery blood that was still flowing from her wounds.  His hand groped her breast through her shirt.

"Why are you doing this?"  Kim demanded, struggling uselessly against her restraints.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted you." He said dreamily, slipping his hand under her shirt.

"Don't you remember our friendship…how much we mean to each other?  Remember all the good times we had together?  Don't throw it all away, Ron."  She tried to reason, holding tight to the flicker of hope that she could break through to him.

"SHUT UP!"  His hand struck her face once more, leaving another large welt on her already bruised skin.  "You never gave a damn about me!"  Ron shouted with anger flashing in his eyes again.   "You only used me for your own personal gain.  Well now the tables are turned, aren't they?"  

He retrieved the knife from his belt again and cut down the center of her shirt in one swift movement.  The material hung limply from her arms, exposing the creamy skin underneath.  "That's gotta go."  He muttered, eyeing the lacy bra that covered her breasts.  With another jerk from the knife, the thin fabric was disposed of in the same fashion.  

Ron's eyes lit up as he studied her pert breasts, nipples hardening from the cool draft.  "They're even more perfect than I imagined, KP." He murmured, massaging the mounds with his fingers.  He lowered his head and took the soft flesh between his lips.  His touch was tender at first as he gently sucked and teased her nipples with his tongue, alternating from one side to the other. 

Kim closed her eyes and cried softly, trying to ignore the pleasant sensations that were involuntarily coursing through her body despite the violation.  She had always fantasized that Ron would be her first.  Although they claimed to be just friends, he was the only person that she could imagine sharing such a sacred moment with.  But not like this.  Dreams of soft music and candlelight came crashing down around her as she was jerked back to the reality of the situation.  She jumped in pain causing cold steel to dig into her sore wrists when Ron's advances abruptly became more brutal.  

Ron grazed her sensitive nipple with his teeth before sinking them into her flesh.  He bit down sucked harshly on her left breast while painfully squeezing the right under his fingertips.  A scream escaped her lips from the torment.  After what seemed like eternity, he released her and leered at his work.  A dark purple bruise framed in teeth marks was already starting to appear where his mouth had been.  

Growing bored with her upper half, Ron ran his hands down her back lightly scratching her with his fingernails.  He paused at the waistband of her pants.  "Time for some real action."  He said smugly with an intimidating gaze.

"Don't you dare, you bastard!"  She screamed, her heart fluttering like mad in her chest.  Ignoring her, he fumbled briefly with the button then easily slipped her pants from her waist.  The material bunched around her ankles from the chains that restrained her.  

"That won't do, will it KP?" Ron walked over to the door and retrieved the small key that was hanging from a nail.  Returning, he knelt down and slipped off her shoes and socks before unlocking the shackles.  With her ankles freed from the wall, he finished removing her pants and yanked down her underwear.  

Once she could move her legs, Kim immediately lashed out, attempting to kick Ron in the head before he stood again.  Anticipating the blow, he easily avoided it by leaning to the side.  "That wasn't very nice."  He said, rising to his feet.  

Gritting her teeth, she kicked at him again—this time aiming for his groin.  He skirted back quickly and laughed as her foot struck empty air.  "You're so predictable."  Moving out of her reach, he took the opportunity to admire her before proceeding.  

Kim blushed and lowered her head in humiliation as Ron's eyes hungrily roamed over her nude body.  Even with her feet free from the bonds, she knew that she wouldn't be able to fight him off.  Feelings of helplessness and vulnerability consumed her.  She was going to be raped by her best friend.  

Stepping forward again, Ron pressed his knees against her legs to prevent her from kicking at him again.  He ran his hands down her back and over her bottom, his dark brown eyes staring coldly into her green ones.  

"Get your fucking hands off me!"  She screamed with hatred.  "I swear I'll kill you if you don't stop right now, Ron!"

 "I don't think you're in any position to be making threats at the moment." Ron said, chuckling lightly.  Abruptly, he cupped her crotch in his hand, sliding to fingers between her lips.  A crude grin spread across his face when he felt her wetness.  "And I was under the impression that you weren't having a good time, KP."  He sneered, idly letting his fingers trail over her sensitive nub.

Kim's hips involuntarily bucked from his touch.  She hung her head in shame at her own body's betrayal.  The thought of being violated like this disgusted her, but she couldn't control her natural reaction to his caresses.  Fresh, hot tears began to roll down her cheeks once more.

Ron explored the forbidden territory briefly, then stepped away from her.  Kim watched in dread as he quickly shed his clothes.  She cringed in revulsion at the sight of his massive erection when he pulled off his boxers.  

"No.  Please Ron.  Don't do this!"  Kim begged as he moved toward her again.  She couldn't believe this was happening. Not Ron. How could he simply destroy a lifetime of friendship like this?   If it had been anybody else she could at least cope with it.  Being by betrayed by Ron this way didn't just break her spirit, but her heart as well.  

He pressed against her, making her squirm as his arousal brushed against her thigh.  Entwining his fingers in her hair, he forced her head forward and roughly kissed her again.  "I've waited for this moment for a long time."  He murmured, releasing her.

She struggled desperately against her restraints as he parted her legs with his knees.  "Don't try to resist me, KP.  It'll only make things worse for you." Ron said cruelly.  He let his body settle between her legs, pushing himself against her opening. 

Kim sobbed violently at the feeling of his erection sinking into her.  The last flame of hope that he would change his mind was extinguished.  Ron forced himself deeper into her canal until he hit the barrier.  "Looks like those rumors about Josh Mankey aren't true after all."  He sneered.  He bucked his hips forcefully and slammed his entire length into her, destroying her virgin seal.  

Kim released an ear-piercing scream as the worst pain that she'd ever felt in her life consumed every fiber of her being.  She wanted to kill him.  She closed her eyes and imagined the pleasure of feeling the last breath drain out of him under her suffocating fingers.   

Ron didn't bother to give her time to recover before he began to vigorously plunge his hips into her.  He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in close. "I'm in control now, bitch.  I own you." He whispered spitefully, his hot breath panting into her ear.  

"I hate you Ron."  Kim cried pitifully time and again as he continued pound into her.  Cold concrete scraped painfully against her back with his every thrust.  Not wanting to give him the pleasure of seeing her struggle further, she let her body become still as death and clamped her eyes shut.  With nothing left to lose she simply waited for her torment to be over.  

After what seemed like an eternity, Ron brutally bit down into Kim's shoulder to muffle his cries of pleasure.  She felt nauseous at the sensation of his hot liquid spurting into her.  Breathing heavily, he collapsed against her, trying to regain his composure.  Finally, he released her and drunkenly stepped back.

Kim watched with loathing as he fumbled around for his clothes that were scattered about the floor.  He dressed himself in silence, occasionally glancing over at her in hopes of getting a reaction. 

"It was good for me, KP. Sorry you don't feel the same."  He said wickedly as finished tying his shoes. "Don't worry though, there's always next time."

Kim spat in his face when he stood to face her.  "There won't be a next time Ron, at least not for you.  Somehow I'm getting out of here and when I do, you're dead."  She snarled hatefully.

Ron wiped the spittle from his cheek.  "Keep dreaming, KP."  He said with a laugh before turning to leave the room.  

When he was gone, Kim slumped down against her chains and cried softly.  She'd been through hell and survived.  Now if she could only figure out a way to escape.   Her mind reeled with options for hours until mental and physical exhaustion claimed her.  Though she resisted it fiercely, her eyes finally closed and she fell into a fitful sleep. 

AN:  Okay, I'm sure that most of you want to tie me to a pole and torch me in flames, but just stay with me here—the rest of the story is nothing like this.   It was "sick and wrong", I know, but angst is my specialty.  I considered not posting this chapter, but then I decided that the story didn't really flow right—even though I'm sure you'd be able to figure out what happened without it.  I hope that fanfiction.net doesn't remove the story because it's not really supposed to be an "adult" fic.  If they do, I'll post it on adultfanfiction.net.  So you can find it there if that happens and you still want to see how it ends. Or maybe, I'll just repost it and leave this chapter out.  

BTW, I am not condoning rape in any way.  It's a horrible crime and _no one_ should have to suffer through something like that.  But this is _fiction_, after all.    

Next update will come this weekend cause I'm going to be pretty busy for the next couple of days.  Happy Holidays everyone!


	5. Chapter 5

AN:  Thanks for the good reviews everyone!!!  I was totally expecting to be flamed for the last chapter, so I'm glad you had mercy on me.  The rest of the story is nothing like that, but it's still really angsty.  R&R.  

Chapter 5 

Ron awoke with the worst headache of his life.  He looked around at the dark alleyway where Drakken had apparently dumped him and wondered exactly where he was.   Rufus poked his head out of Ron's pocket and stared up at him questioningly.  "Don't ask me buddy.  I'm just as lost as you are."  The last thing he remembered was getting knocked out by Shego's gas bomb.  

Kim was lying beside him, unconscious.  Ron gasped in alarm when he noticed the cuts and bruises that covered her face, neck, and arms.  She wore her normal pants and shoes, but her shirt had been replaced with a baggy green and black tee, most likely Shego's.  

"What have they done to you, KP?" His voice wavered emotionally as he gently touched her injured cheek.

Kim's eyes popped open at his touch and stared blankly at him.  It took her a second to remember the events that had taken place.  Suddenly she sat up and shoved him back, away from her. 

 Ron's head hit the concrete with a hard thud.  "Wha..?"  He cried out in surprise.  

"Don't you dare touch me! I fucking hate you!"  She yelled and straddled his body with her own.   

Ron's eyes bulged in shock as hers burned into them with a deadly glare.  "W-What's wrong, Kim?"  He croaked.  

"Don't act like you don't know! You fucking raped me!"  She screamed inches from his face.  She raised her fist and brought it down into his jaw with a hard blow.  

"WHAT!"  He raised his hands defensively to his face.  "W-What are you talking about?" 

"How could you do it, Ron?  How could you betray me like that, you son of a bitch?"  She screamed, punching him again as he cowered under her.  

"I-I would _never_ hurt you, Kim.  I don't know what you're talking about."  Ron sputtered, trying in vain to avoid her raging fist. 

"Let me refresh you're memory."  Kim clasped her hands around his throat and squeezed with fury blazing in her eyes.  

Ron gasped for breath under her, choking.  He attempted to roll over and push her off, but the adrenaline rushing through her body had given her super-human strength.   His face began to turn a deep shade of red as his last breath of oxygen was slowly used up.  Silently pleading for his life, he stared up at her with tears in his eyes. 

Swearing revenge, Kim struggled not to break her grasp on his neck, but she couldn't do it.  She couldn't kill him, no matter what kind of hell he had put her through.  Despite her justified motive, taking another person's life just wasn't in her.    She released his throat and viciously slapped his face one last time. "I hope you rot in hell!" She spat before climbing off of him.  

Coughing severely, Ron watched as she rose to her feet and ran away sobbing.  "Don't go Kim!  Why are you acting like this?  I didn't do anything!"  He called, when he finally caught his breath.  She ignored his cries and continued to distance herself from him as fast as she could.  

*****

Kim slammed her front door and leaned against the stair railing, breathing heavily.  She had just run several miles to get home.  Her family looked up from their spot in the TV room and stared at her.  

"Hey Kimmie, how was your mission?" Her mom asked.

"Fine mom.  I don't feel well, I'm going to my room."

"Man, you look rough!  How'd you get all those bruises?"  Jim, one of her identical twin brothers, asked curiously. 

"Duh! She got 'em from kicking some serious bad-guy butt!" Tim answered his brother's question.  

"Oh…so what's with the ugly shirt?" Jim wrinkled his nose at the green and black tee that hung loosely around her frame.

"Nothing! Just leave me alone tweebs!"  Kim yelled and abruptly started to climb up to her room. 

"Honey?  Is something bothering you?"  Her dad asked with a concerned tone.

"No.  Sorry dad.  I'm just really tired, it's been a rough night."   

"Well your mother should really take a look at your cuts before you go to bed."

"Don't worry, it's no big.  Shego just caught me off guard.  I'll pour some peroxide over them."  

"Okay Kimmie-cub.  If you want to talk about anything, we'll be right here."

"Thanks dad." She said and rushed up to her room before her family asked any more questions.  

Kim quickly ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She peeled out of her clothes at lightening speed and stepped under the hot water. Sitting down in the tub, she pulled her knees to her chest and began to weep again.  The scalding hot water would cleanse her body, but she knew that it couldn't wash away the pain that she felt inside. 

*****

Bewildered, Ron stood in the alleyway and watched Kim run until she was out of sight.  His eyes brimmed with tears, not because of the injuries she had inflicted upon him, but from her stinging words.  Rufus climbed up to his shoulder and nuzzled against his face in an effort to comfort him.   "Thanks buddy." He said half-heartedly. 

Ron continued to stare at the pavement for several more minutes, trying to make sense everything.  When they went into the warehouse, everything was fine between them. What changed?  "Did she say I raped her?" He asked himself aloud, not sure if he'd heard her correctly.  The thought was ludicrous.  He would never harm so much as a hair on her head.  He wondered what Drakken had done to make her think such a horrible thing.  

Confused, he shoved his hands in his pockets and aimlessly made his way from the alley. After awhile, he recognized his surrounding and turned in the direction of his street.

"You _never_ thought of me as your partner, bitch!  You always use me as the distraction so _you_ can claim the victory and take all the credit." The thought popped into Ron's head out of nowhere.  It seemed more like a memory than a thought.  The voice sounded vaguely like his own, but the tone was cruel and heartless.  He shrugged it off and continued walking.  

"Don't try to resist me, KP.  It'll only make things worse for you." The voice spoke again.  This time Ron stopped and rubbed his forehead, wondering if he was going crazy.  

"I'm in control now, bitch.  I own you." The words echoed in his mind.  He heard himself speaking them, but he couldn't remember the circumstances.  Suddenly, the image of Kim flashed behind his eyes.  She was naked and crying, chained to a wall.  "It was good for me, KP. Sorry you don't feel the same."  

"STOP!  MAKE IT STOP!" Ron screamed, falling to his knees in the middle of the sidewalk.  Several people paused and stared at him briefly before hurrying off.  "What have I done?" he muttered over and over again.  Hot tears poured down his cheeks as he clutched his head in his hands, not caring what people thought of the scene that he was making.  

******

Ron stood awkwardly on the Possible's front porch, second-guessing himself.  During his breakdown in the street, a concerned woman had put her hand on his shoulder and gently asked if everything was all right.  That was enough to jar him back to reality.  Without answering her, he had quickly jumped to his feet and run all the way to Kim's house with only one thought on his mind—he had to talk to her. 

Now, standing there with his finger poised to ring the bell, he wondered if it was really a good idea.  What would he say to her?  How would she react to seeing him again?  He turned and started to walk away when the door suddenly opened. 

"Ron!  How are you?  I thought I saw someone come up the steps." Kim's mother said, motioning for him to come in.  

'Damn!' he cursed inwardly, observing the open blinds in the window.  "Hi Mrs. Possible.  Is Kim home?" He asked nervously.  

"Yes, she is.  I think she just got out of the shower.  Is everything okay?  She wasn't acting like herself when she got in."  

"I think so." Ron lied. 

"Oh.  Well maybe she's just coming down with something.  She mentioned that she wasn't feeling well.  You can go up to her room; I'm sure she's dressed by now." 

"Thanks, Mrs. Possible." Ron said with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  He desperately wanted to talk to Kim, but he didn't know if he could face her after what he'd done. His feet felt like they weighed a ton as he slowly climbed the steps to her room.  


	6. Chapter 6

AN:  It's a good thing it's winter break so I can get these updates out quickly. Once again, thanks so much for the support! I never expected so many good reviews! Sorry this chapter is really short.  

Kim stepped out of the shower, not feeling much cleaner than before.  Looking herself over in the bathroom mirror, she observed that her skin was bright red from the scalding water.  She cringed at the sight of the bruises on her face, neck and breasts from Ron's torture session.  

In the bedroom, she pulled on her bathrobe and stood in front of the dresser mirror brushing her damp hair thoughtfully.  

"KP?" Ron said softly, poking his head into her room.  

Kim whirled around at the sound of his voice. She couldn't believe that he was actually here, in her room.  "Get out!"  She growled, keeping her voice down so as not to alarm her family.

"Please talk to me, Kim." He took a step toward her.

She backed up as he approached, unconsciously raising her hands to shield herself.  "How dare you come here after what you did! Haven't you done enough damage, or are you back for more?  You're lucky that I didn't kill you when I had the chance!"

"Please just listen!" He begged. 

"Leave me alone!  I never want to see you again!" She cried, pointing to the door.

"I know and I don't blame you.  I swear I'll never bother you again after this.  But before I go, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for what I did."  Ron mumbled with his eyes cast to the floor, ashamed to look at her.  

"You're sorry?  Oh, well then I guess that makes everything okay." She hissed sarcastically.  

"Kim…"

"Look at what you did to me, you bastard!" She ripped open her bathrobe and showed him the cuts and bruises on her neck and breasts.  "You _raped_ me!  And you expect me to forgive you because you're sorry?"

Ron felt hot tears coming to his eyes as he briefly looked at her injuries before turning his head away in shame. The knowledge that he was responsible for them made him feel physically ill.  He placed his hand on her dresser to steady himself for fear of his legs giving out from under him.  "I'm so sorry, Kim.  I don't know what else to say.  I only remember bits and pieces of it from the drugs."  

"Y-You were drugged?" Kim stammered in surprise.  Oddly, she hadn't given that option consideration.  She just assumed that he had finally snapped under pressure.  Drakken and Shego could be very persuasive and Ron wasn't the most mentally stable person that she knew.   

"I guess it was some kind of mind control thing." He shrugged his shoulders.  "The last thing I remember was Shego gassing us, then I woke up in the alley with you.  The rest is a blur."  

"I…I didn't know…"

"Wait…you actually think I did that to you on purpose?  You know I could never hurt you, KP."  

"I don't know what to think…. the things you said were so…believable. It was like those feelings have been building up inside you for a long time.  I think you enjoyed it and don't realize it."  

"That's not fair Kim!  How the hell could I enjoy it when I don't even remember it?"  His voice rose from her accusations.

"I don't know!  Just please go, Ron."  Kim flung herself on her bed and began to cry softly into her pillow.  

Ron turned toward the door to leave, pausing briefly to look at her one last time. Feelings of guilt and self-loathing coursed through him for something that he hadn't had any control over.  He knew that they would never be friends again.  One of Drakken's insane schemes had finally worked.  He had succeeded in breaking up the Possible/Stoppable team.  

Ron knew that he should walk out the door and never look back, but he couldn't stand to see her like this.  He walked to the bed and sat on the edge, placing his hand on her back.  He began to stroke her hair soothingly as she cried.

Terror poured into Kim when she felt his weight settle beside her.  As he ran his fingers through her hair, she was suddenly transported back to the warehouse.  "There is one thing that I've wanted to do for a long time," he'd said.  She felt his hands on her, pawing and violating her body.  It was happening all over again.  

"NO!  DON'T!"  Kim screamed, raising her face from the pillow.  She bolted up in the bed, drawing her knees protectively to her chest.  "Stop Ron!"  She pleaded between sobs.  

The tears that had been threatening to fall all evening finally flowed down Ron's cheeks.  Her reaction to his harmless touch painted a perfect image of harsh reality.  Up to this point it had almost been surreal, like a bad dream, but seeing Kim lose it like this in front of him left no doubt in his mind of the hell he'd put her through. 

"It's me Kim; the _real_ me.  I wasn't going to hurt you."  Ron reached out to place his hand on her shoulder, but she flinched away from him.  "You've got to believe me…" His voice cracked emotionally as he wiped the tears from his eyes. 

Several minutes ticked away before either of the spoke again.  "I want to believe you, Ron." Kim said quietly, breaking the silence.  "It's just that every time I look at you I'm back in that damn warehouse and you're…you're…"

"Don't say it."  He begged, as if speaking the vile word would make the situation even worse.  He leaned over and lovingly embraced her, sobbing softly against her shoulder.  Surprisingly, she didn't try to pull away from him this time. "I know you never want to see me again, Kim.  So I guess this is goodbye."

Kim put her apprehensions aside and allowed him to touch her, although she made no effort to return the hug.  Deep inside she knew that what happened wasn't his fault, but that didn't stop the pain and anger from surfacing every time she looked at him.  "We both know that things can never be the same between us again, Ron.  I think it will be best for us to just move on and go our separate ways."  

"I understand."  He nodded, his heart shattering into a million pieces.  He planted a light kiss on her cheek before rising from the bed.  "Goodbye, KP."  He stared at her briefly, burning her image into his mind, before turning to leave.  


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kim forced herself to get up and go to school the following day, despite her battered appearance.  She pulled on a heavy turtleneck sweater to cover her neck and arms.  Bonnie would have a field day with her sense of fashion for wearing winter clothes on a warm spring day, but she didn't care.  After applying nearly a pound of makeup to her face, she was finally satisfied that the bruises weren't as noticeable.   She made her way downstairs and plopped at the kitchen table.  

"Feeling better today, Kimmie?"  Her mom asked.

"Yeah.  I guess so." She muttered, shoving a piece of dry toast in her mouth.  

"You're not fooling anyone with all that make-up.  I can still see your bruises." Jim commented, pointing to her face.  

"SHUT-UP you little brat!  It's none of your business!" She screamed impulsively at the boy, and then was immediately sorry when she noticed her parents staring her down.  

"Kim!  That is no way to talk to your brother! What's gotten into you?" Her dad said sternly. 

"Sorry Jim." She apologized, hoping that would be the end of it. Unfortunately, they kept pressing her for information.  

"You haven't been acting like yourself since you came home yesterday.  You've been very moody and distant" Her mom worried. "And where did you get all those bruises?  You've never been beaten up so badly after a mission before.  Then Ron ran out the door crying without even saying goodbye last night.  Why won't you tell us what's going on, Kimmie?"

Kim sighed in frustration at her mother's third degree questioning.  "It's so not the drama, mom. I got the bruises because Shego jumped me from behind and Ron and I had a little fight.  No big."  

"I'm starting have second-thoughts about this whole crime-fighting thing, Kimmie-cub.  I never liked the idea of you running around after those crazy villains.  It's too dangerous and if it's going to start affecting your mental health…" Her dad said fretfully. 

"You don't have to worry about that dad, because there won't be anymore missions!"  Tears brimmed in her eyes once again.  "And you won't be seeing Ron around here anymore either!  Now leave me the hell alone!"  She yelled.  She jumped up form the table and ran out the door sobbing, leaving her family to stare at each other with shocked expressions.    

*****

Kim opened her locker to find an urgent message from Wade waiting for her in the printer.  "Monkey Fist is at it again!  Page me!"  She read the words silently.  She switched on the computer and Wade's face appeared on the screen.  "I've been beeping you all morning.  Why is your Kimmunicator turned off?"  He asked. 

"Drakken took it." Kim replied.  

"Oh, well I'll whip you up another one.  It'll be waiting at your house after school."  

"Don't bother.  I won't need it anymore."  Kim said solemnly.

"What are you talking about Kim?  How am I supposed to reach you?"  The young boy asked in surprise. 

"You won't need to.  I quit, Wade.  Take down the website, there won't be anymore missions."  

"What!  You can't be serious.  Monkey Fist is stirring up trouble again down in the Amazon.  You and Ron have to get there as soon as possible!"  An anxious expression spread across Wade's face.  

"I don't give a damn.  Let someone else deal with it!"  She shouted.  

"What's wrong, Kim?  Why are you acting this way?"  

"I wish everyone would stop asking me that!  I'm tired of being thought of as some kind of hero.  Can't I just have a normal life for once?"  

"How does Ron feel about this?"  Wade asked in disbelief.  

"Ron can drop dead for all I care." She uttered spitefully. "Look, I have to get to first period."  

"_What_?"  The boy reeled back in shock from her harsh words toward her best friend.  He started to say something else, but Kim switched off the computer, breaking the connection.  She slammed her locker shut and headed to class. 

*****

Ron was noticeably absent from first period English.  Kim couldn't help but feel the slightest bit concerned about him not showing up for school.  As much as he despised the place, he always managed to drag himself there each morning.  Class was uneventful and dull without his witty comments and disruptions coming from the back row.  

Kim flopped her head down on the desk and dozed off in the middle of the lecture.  It was so unlike her to sleep during class.  That was Ron's specialty.  Fortunately, since she was such a good student the teacher didn't reprimand her for it.  He probably figured that she was really sick and mercifully left her alone.  

The remainder of the morning flowed in much the same way.  Kim trudged from one class to the next with her head hung low, not even pausing to flirt with Josh Mankey at his locker.  When lunch finally came, she grabbed her tray of disgusting goop and headed to the table where she normally sat with Ron and Monique.   

"Nice outfit...for _January_."  Bonnie remarked as Kim passed by the 'popular' table. "I don't recall snow being in the forecast today."  This elicited a round of laughter at Kim's expense from the crowd seated next to her.  

"Go to hell, Bonnie."  Kim muttered under her breath and kept walking.  

"Girl, you look rough and what's with the sweater?  Definitely a fashion no-no for this time of year." Monique said as Kim sat down beside her.  

"Thanks.  I can always count on you to cheer me up, Monique."  Kim mumbled sarcastically to the dark-skinned girl.  

"Wow.  You really _are_ depressed today.  What happened?  Did you and Ron have a fight?"

"I guess you could say that."  

"Well give me all the juicy details."  Monique urged.

"I really don't feel like talking about it right now." Kim adverted her eyes and tried to act like she was concentrating on the mush that filled her plate. 

"Okay.  Whenever you're ready, I'm here."  Monique decided it best not to press the issue with Kim in her current mood.  

The two teens picked over their food in silence for most of the lunch period.  "Can I tell you something, Monique?" Kim finally spoke. "Something really personal, I mean."  

"Sure, we're best friends, aren't we?"  Monique shifted in her seat uneasily, wondering where this was going.  

"No one else knows about this and you better not breath a single word of it…" 

"Chill, girl.  You know I'm good for keeping a secret!"  

 "Listen Monique, this isn't something stupid about my newest crush or anything like that.  It's deadly serious."  Kim said nervously.

"Trust me, Kim.  I'm not gonna tell, I promise."

"Its about how I got these bruises…. I…I was raped." Kim quietly confessed.

"WHAT?" Monique cried a little too loudly.  A few people at the next table looked over at them.  "Who did it?  I swear I'll kill him!" She pounded her fist on the table for emphasis.  

"Shhh, keep your voice down." Kim pleaded.  

"_Who_ was it, Kim?" Monique demanded somberly.

Kim sat and fidgeted with her hands for a few seconds before answering.  "It was Ron." She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No way." Monique said in disbelief.  "Oh my God…. no way." She stood up and began to pace back and forth next to their table in an effort to control her anger.  "You just wait until I get my hands on that pale freak.  I'm gonna rip his balls off and shove 'em down his throat!"  

"Please sit down Monique, you're making a scene!"  Kim glanced around at their audience that had now grown to several tables.  

"I can't help it, Kim.  How could Ron do something like that to you?"  Monique asked, finally taking her seat.  

"It wasn't his fault.  Drakken drugged him.  He doesn't even remember it." Hearing herself speak the words suddenly sent a wave of guilt through Kim.  _It wasn't his fault_.    The words echoed in her mind as if the realization was dawning on her for the first time.  She should be there for Ron instead of pushing him away.  He was just as much a victim as her. They should be getting through this together; both of them needed the other's friendship right now more than ever before.  He had come to her, begging forgiveness for something beyond his control, and all she did was tell him to leave her alone.  

"…Are you even listening to me?"  Monique waved her hand in front of Kim's blank eyes.  Kim obviously hadn't heard a word she'd said.

Kim snapped out of her trance and focused on Monique again. "Yeah…I was just thinking, sorry."  

"Where is he today anyway?  Too ashamed to face you?"  

"Probably…I feel really bad now, Monique.  I told him I never wanted to see him again."  

"Are you kidding me?  He _raped_ you!  Why would you _want_ to see him again?" Monique asked hatefully

"But it really wasn't his fault.  I'm worried about him."  Kim protested

"So it wasn't his fault, that still doesn't change the hell he put you through.  You're a unique individual, Kim.  That's where you and I are different.  If someone did that to me I would've ripped his head off by now, regardless of the circumstances, and here you sit saying that you're worried about him."

"Yeah, I guess.  Look, I need to go to my locker before Algebra.  Thanks for listening." Kim quickly gathered her books.  She didn't feel like discussing this with Monique any more.  All she wanted to do now was make it through the remainder of the school day so she could go find Ron.  

"Are you gonna be okay, girl?"  Monique asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'll be fine, don't worry.  Catch up with you later."  

"Call me if you need someone to talk to."  Monique offered as Kim rushed off.

*****

Kim carelessly flung the books from her morning classes into her locker.   She observed that the printer was full of more 'urgent' messages from Wade.  They all consisted of him begging her to contact him and wanting to know what happened between she and Ron.  Feeling annoyed, she balled the papers up and shoved them in her pocket, planning to dispose of them on the way to class.  

Kim was just about to close the door when she noticed a folded piece of notebook paper lying in the corner.  "What's this?" She mumbled, not remembering it there this morning.  she picked up the handwritten note, wondering how it got in her locker. The only person that knew her combination was Ron.  Heading to her next class, she opened it up and started to read as she walked.  Suddenly, her books fell from her arms and crashed to the floor.  "NO!" Her shrill cry caused an eerie hush to fall over the crowded hallway.   She spun around on her heels and ran towards the exit as fast as her legs would carry her.  

His words played over and over in her head as she ran.  Although she'd only read them once, every last detail was burned in her mind:   

_"Kim,_

_You're probably wondering why I'm not in school today.  It's just that I didn't want to spend my last day on Earth in that hellhole.  I'm sure you understand.  By the time you read this, I'll be gone.  Even though you hate me right now, I know that you'll still be mad at me for doing this, but I don't deserve to live after what I did to you.  I would never hurt you intentionally—you know that. That's beside the point though.  I still did it and you'll never be able to look at me again without fear in your eyes.  _

_Really, it's for the best, KP.  Hopefully, in time, you'll be able to see that.   I totally understand your decision of not wanting to be friends anymore, but you're my world.  Without you, I am nothing.  The thought of being alone, along with the internal hell that I'm going through from hurting you, is too much to deal with.  I just can't take it.  You were always the strong one. I'm weak and a coward.  If I had your strength and determination, I would have been able to resist that damn drug somehow.  But I guess it's too late to think about that now. What's done is done.  I would sell my soul to change it, if I could. Tell everyone that I'm sorry for doing this, but it's the only way I can find peace.  One day I hope we can be together again, just like old times.  I'll always love you, Kim. _

_Love, _

_Ron_

_P.S.  I'm leaving Rufus at your house.  The little guy doesn't need to see this.  Please take care of him for me._ "


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

Ron stumbled up on the Possible's front porch, weighted down with all of Rufus's belongings.  He rang the doorbell, knowing that the tweebs would be home because middle school let out an hour before high school.

Tim answered the door. "Hey Ron, what're you doing out of school so early?"  

"I didn't go.  I…uh…had something to do."

"What all that stuff for?"  Jim asked, poking his head out from behind his brother.  

"It's all of Rufus's things.  I'm going away for awhile so Kim's going to watch him for me."  Ron said.

"Cool!  We'll take care of him!" The boys chimed eagerly at the prospect of having a pet, even if it was only temporary.    

"Bring his stuff in…"

"…and we'll set it up in our room."  Tim finished his brother's sentence.  It always freaked Ron out when the twins did that; it was almost like they shared the same brain.  Ron lugged in all of the toys and placed them in the living room.

"Come on, we were just about to watch "Smack Down!" Jim said excitedly.

"We wanted to watch it last night…"

"…but Mom wouldn't let us…"

…so we taped it!"   Tim proudly held up the videotape before shoving it into the VCR.  

"Sorry guys; sounds fun, but I have to go."  Ron took Rufus out of his pocket and held him up to his face, planting a tender kiss on the mole rat's head.    "Watch out for Kim for me, buddy." He said softly with misty eyes.

"Awww…hurry home."  Rufus whined, unaware that Ron was never coming back for him.  He wrapped his paws around the boy's face in a miniature hug. 

  "Now make sure you take him to Bueno Nacho at least twice a week.  The Chimerito Grande with a side of Nachos is his favorite. And you have to sing 'Rock A Bye Rufus' when he goes to bed. Oh and…" 

"Chill, Ron.  We'll take good care of him 'til you get back."  Jim promised 

"I know…I just worry about the little guy." Ron's voice wavered emotionally. "Bye Rufus."  He nuzzled his cheek affectionately against the tiny creature before handing him to Jim. He quickly turned to leave, afraid that he might cry in front of the boys.  

"See ya, Ron!" They called as he walked down the front steps.  

Ron turned and gave them half-hearted wave.  "If you don't give Kim a hard time maybe she'll start letting you go on missions with her."  Despite his depressed mood, the thought of Jim and Tim becoming his replacement brought a weak smile to his face.

*****

Ron stepped through his front door.   The emptiness of the house seemed to be a reflection of his soul as he wandered aimlessly from room to room, thoughtfully taking in each detail for the last time.  

He paused at the fireplace and inspected the pictures that dotted the mantle.  A few were family portraits, but most of them showed only two individuals—he and Kim.  He never found it odd that his parents had so many pictures with Kim in them displayed in their home.  She was just as much a part of his family, as he was hers.  If fate had been kinder to them, then wedding photos and beautiful red-haired grandchildren with big brown eyes may have one day replaced those childhood images of the two friends. 

Ron picked up a particular picture, his favorite, which showed he and Kim graduating from elementary school.  Kim had her arms around him, poised to kiss his cheek and he was trying to pull away with a disgusted look on his face.  That was when _all_ girls had 'cooties', even if they were your best friend.  His face in the picture suddenly became blurred as a single drop of liquid fell upon it and rolled down the glass.  

Sighing, Ron carefully placed the picture back in its spot on the mantle, then made his way the garage.  He fumbled around in his dad's toolbox until he found the item that he was looking for.  A slight curve formed briefly on his lips as his hand clutched around the plastic knife-like object.  Grabbing a screwdriver, he opened up the box-cutter and removed the straight-edged razor blade from the center.  The sliver of metal felt small and cold in his hand as carried it up to his room.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Ron rolled the razor over and over in his fingertips.  The moment of truth was finally here and those all-to-familiar feelings of fear and dread started to creep into him.   He quickly lost his nerve and flung the blade across the room in anger where it bounced off his mirror with a metallic ding.  Flopping back on the unmade bed, he began to sob shamefully, thinking that he couldn't even do a good job at killing himself.    

Abruptly the image of Kim from the previous night popped into his mind.  The look of pain and fear in her eyes as she sat before him on her bed was enough to put his apprehension to rest.  Ron retrieved the razor from the floor and returned to his bed.  "Ron Stoppable is not a coward!" He said aloud to the empty room.  "For once in my life I'm going to do something right!"  

The blade glinted in the light as Ron brought it close to his wrist.  He dragged it slowly across the flesh and smiled at the thin trickle of blood that began to seep from the wound.  He knew that it was only a surface cut and completely harmless, but he was only testing the water for starters.  Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as he'd expected.    

With determination in his eyes, Ron swiped at his wrist again, much deeper this time.  The small trickle of blood disappeared as a torrent of the red fluid began to wash down his arm. Satisfied that he had cut the vein, he went to work on the other wrist.  

Once the job was done, Ron let the blade fall from his tingling hand where it landed on the carpet next the bed.  He leaned back and rested his head on the pillow, crimson blood pooling on the white sheets under him.  "I'm so sorry, Kim…I never meant to hurt you."  He mumbled over and over as he waited for release. 

*****

Out of breath, Kim flew up the steps on Ron's porch, nearly stumbling in her haste.  She ripped open the front door and bounded up the stairway, taking two at a time.  "RON?" She yelled into the seemingly empty house, but no reply greeted her in return.   Finally stepping over the threshold of his bedroom, she nearly passed out at the scene before her.  

Ron was sprawled on the bed with his arms limp at his sides.  The floor and blankets were covered in the thick, scarlet blood that still seeped from his wounds.  Kim noticed that his face was a deathly shade of white as she approached.  "NO.  RON NO!"  She wailed, her world shattering at the sight of him.  She gently placed her hand on his throat to feel for a sign of life, cringing at the coldness of his skin.

A terrified scream escaped her lips when her fingers failed to find the throbbing pulse in his neck.  She was too late.  Ron was gone.  

"WHY RON?" Kim demanded as she cupped his blank face in her hands, although she already knew the answer.  It was all her fault.  She was the reason Ron took his life. _She_ killed him.

If only she hadn't been so selfish when he had come to her, pleading for her friendship, then none of this would have happened.  She'd pushed him away though, hatefully telling him to stay out of her life.

"Ron can drop dead for all I care." Kim's spiteful words from that morning rang in her mind. She'd meant it at the time, but she never imagined that it would happen.  Right now, the harsh statement couldn't be further from the truth.  The thought triggered a flood of hot tears that she'd thus far been too shocked to release.  She rested her head on his lifeless chest and sobbed fiercely, praying that she'd wake up from this horrible nightmare.  

Unaware of how much time had past, Kim lifted her head from Ron's chest when the tears simply wouldn't come anymore.  She sat up and observed that her clothes were covered in his blood.  Feeling ill from the sight, she rose from the bed unsure of what to do next.  Then, a sparkle of light coming from the floor caught her attention.  She picked up the tiny razor and inspected it carefully.  

The past twenty-four hours suddenly began to fast forward through her mind.  She sat on the bed shakily and became transfixed by the memory as every last detail from the time they went into the warehouse to the moment she'd entered Ron's room replayed in her head.

As the flashback drew to a close, she turned to look at Ron's pale, expressionless face once more. She released a piercing scream brought on by overwhelming anger and frustration and brought the blade to her wrist, savagely slicing thought the flesh again and again.  With a wild look in her eyes, she watched fearlessly as the red liquid ran freely down her arms.

Kim climbed into the bed and rested her head on the pillow next to Ron's when feelings of light-headedness started to overpower her.  She wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace and watched detachedly as her blood began to blend with his on the sheets beneath them.  "I'll always love you too, Ron." She whispered tenderly as her eyes grew heavy, then finally closed for the last time.  

The End

AN:  Even before I actually started writing this fic, I knew how I wanted it to end (yes I'm evil, I know).  Then a few days ago another idea got into my head, partially in thanks to some of your reviews.  I didn't want to chuck the original ending, but the new one kept eating away at me until I finally sat down and started writing it out.   Soooo, this fic is going to have an alternate ending.  They put them on DVDs, so why not have them in fics, right?  Look for it in a day or two!


	9. Chapter 8: Alternate Ending

AN:  Here's the alternate ending.  It turned out longer than I expected, hence the delay.  It starts out right after Ron takes Rufus to Kim's house.  The first three paragraphs are exactly the same as they were in the other chapter, then it starts to change.  

Chapter 8: Alternate Ending

Ron stepped through his front door.   The emptiness of the house seemed to be a reflection of his soul as he wandered aimlessly from room to room, thoughtfully taking in each detail for the last time.  

He paused at the fireplace and inspected the pictures that dotted the mantle.  A few were family portraits, but most of them showed only two individuals—he and Kim.  He never found it odd that his parents had so many pictures with Kim in them displayed in their home.  She was just as much a part of his family, as he was hers.  If fate had been kinder to them, then wedding photos and beautiful red-haired grandchildren with big brown eyes may have one day replaced those childhood images of the two friends. 

Ron picked up a particular picture, his favorite, which showed he and Kim graduating from elementary school.  Kim had her arms around him, poised to kiss his cheek and he was trying to pull away with a disgusted look on his face.  That was when _all_ girls had 'cooties', even if they were your best friend.  His face in the picture suddenly became blurred as a single drop of liquid fell upon it and rolled down the glass.  

Sighing, Ron carefully placed the picture back in its spot on the mantle, then made his way the kitchen.  He immediately sauntered toward the wooden knife holder that sat on the kitchen counter.  After pulling out each utensil out and inspecting it thoughtfully, he finally decided upon the largest, sharpest knife in the set.  He clutched the plastic handle and carried it up to his room.  

Ron stripped out of his everyday clothes and changed into his black shirt and cargo pants, shoving the knife into one of the compartments in his utility belt. He had one last mission to complete before he could rest in peace.  

*****

Out of breath, Kim flew up the steps on Ron's porch, nearly stumbling in her haste.  She ripped open the front door and bounded up the stairway, taking two at a time.  "RON?" She yelled into the empty house, but no reply greeted her in return. Bewildered, she stood on the threshold of his bedroom and wondered where he could be.  

Thinking quickly, Kim ran over to Ron's computer and closed out the game of "Fortress" that was paused on the screen.  She brought up the program that she and Ron used to contact Wad and sighed in relief when his face finally appeared.

"Wade!  I need your help.  FAST!"  She exclaimed, on the verge of hysteria.

"It's about time you decided to contact me."  The boy on the screen said, unaware of the situation's urgency.

"I don't have time for this now, Wade.  Is that tracking chip still implanted in Ron's neck?"

"Of course."  

"Look, I need to know where he is _right now_."  She shrieked into the monitor.  

"No problem, Kim.  It will just take a sec and…. got it!  Huh, this is strange.  It looks he's in the warehouse where you guys went after Drakken last night." 

"Thanks Wade, you rock!" She said and started to switch off the computer.

"Wait!  Are you going to tell me what's going on?"  He asked.

"No time, later Wade."  She replied anxiously, and then cut the connection.  

*****

Nervously, Ron stepped into the dusty warehouse.  Faint light filtered through the broken windows, making it easier for him to find his way around than the previous night. With determination, he passed by the empty crates and machinery.  He paused at the lone door that obviously led to Drakken's lair.  With a gulp, he swallowed his fear and clutched the cold metal knob in his hand.  He had nothing left to lose. 

 The door swung open and revealed Drakken and Shego seated in the tiny room.  Both were too preoccupied to even realize that he was standing there.  Drakken was busy typing something furiously on his laptop, while Shego casually filed her nails and flipped through a magazine.  Fury and hatred smoldered in Ron's eyes as he stood and glared silently at the two villains.

"How could you do something so low?"  Ron finally snarled, causing Drakken and Shego to take notice of him.  

"Ah, look Shego, if it isn't the buffoon! I guess you're here for the diamond.  I was wondering when you were coming back for that." Drakken said flippantly, fully knowing that the diamond was not why Ron was there.    "Here take it, I really don't need it anymore.  It has served its purpose."  He removed the diamond from a drawer and tossed it to the boy.

"You mean the whole thing was a just set-up for you to turn Kim against me?"  Ron growled in disgust, letting the diamond drop to the floor.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Where is the redheaded brat, anyway?  Oh, I'm sorry.  She's probably still upset after what _you_ did to her." 

"I didn't do anything, you _made_ me do it!" Ron screamed.  He could feel his anger rising to the breaking point.  

"You should be thanking me, you never would've had the guts to get into her pants without my help.  You know how long you've wanted it, boy. You were all over her!"  Drakken howled with laughter.

"Uh...Dr. D?  I think now would probably be a good time to shut up." Shego warned as she observed the psychotic look in Ron's eyes. 

"FUCK YOU!" Ron shouted and lunged for the blue-skinned man.  He straddled him in an instant, mercilessly pounding his fist into Drakken's face.

"Help, Shego!  Get him off of me!"  Drakken called, knowing that he was no match for the teen.  

"Sorry, Dr. D.  You're on your own with this one."  Shego replied, not making any attempt to move from her seat.  

"_What!_  W-What are you talking about, Shego?  I command you to get him off of me, NOW!"    Drakken stammered, shielding his face with his hands in a vain attempt to stop Ron's blows.  

 "You crossed the line this time, Dr. D.  What you allowed to happen was totally sick in my book." Shego spat maliciously.   "You deserve exactly what's coming to you."  

"Shego!  Please! How could you betray me like this?"  Drakken yelped in pain as Ron's fist made contact with his nose, likely breaking it. "YOU'RE FIRED!"

"Fine."  Shego rose to her feet, grabbed her magazine and casually walked out the door.  

"NO WAIT!  I'm sorry, you're not fired!  Come back!"  Drakken pleaded, but she was already gone. 

"Looks like it just you and me now, asshole!" Ron hissed, fishing the knife from his utility belt as he clutched Drakken's throat with his other hand.  

Drakken's eyes became wide with terror when he saw the knife coming toward his neck.  "NO!  You can't do this!  I'll give you anything you want!  Anything!  When I take over the world, you can have your own continent!"  He babbled.

"SHUT-UP!"  Ron screamed, increasing the pressure on Drakken's throat.  "You ruined my fucking life!"  He released a feral cry as he raised the knife and plunged it into Drakken's chest.  With uncontained rage blazing in his eyes, he pulled the handle out of the soft flesh then brought it down again and again until the pitiful cries coming from the man beneath him finally ceased.  

Shakily, Ron climbed off of Drakken's lifeless body and stared in shock at the blood gushing from his wounds.  He never thought that he would be capable of killing someone, but only raw satisfaction ran through his veins at the horrid sight.  "Booyah." He muttered softly under his breath for old time's sake. 

Ron wiped Drakken's blood from the knife with his shirt and walked into the room where his world had been turned upside down.  His breath caught in his throat when his eyes roamed over the shackles, the bloodstains and Kim's tattered mission shirt lying on the floor.  The flashbacks from the event began to register in his mind stronger than ever.  He dropped to his knees from the overwhelming guilt and despair coursing through him.   "I'm so sorry, Kim!"  He cried as he brought the knife to his wrist.

******

Kim ran into the warehouse and immediately found her way to the control room.  She stopped dead in her tracks and gasped in disbelief when she saw Drakken's crumpled body plagued with stab wounds on the floor before her.  She cautiously looked around for Shego, feeling uneasy when the woman was nowhere in sight.  "Ron?"  She called, knowing that he had to still be there.  The muffled words coming from the adjacent room caught her attention.

Ron dragged the blade across his wrist, wincing from the pain.  The lesion began to weep blood freely, but it wasn't enough to do the job.  He positioned his hand to make another gash when someone calling his name in the next room started him.  

"Don't do it, Ron!"  Kim screamed as she ran toward him.  

"Leave me alone!  This is something I _have_ to do and you're not going to stop me!" He yelled, inwardly cursing himself for wasting so much time.  If he'd been ten minutes faster he wouldn't have had to deal with Kim.

"I'm sorry Ron, I was being selfish. I want us to be friends, now and forever.  Lets get through this together."

"Can the Bullshit, KP.  You're only saying that cause you're trying to talk me out of this.  You know that we'll never be friends again as well as I do.  I deserve to die so please leave me in peace!"

"No, you don't deserve to die.  It wasn't your fault, Ron.  You _know_ that, or you wouldn't have killed Drakken.    He's the one that deserved to die!" Kim tried to reason.

"That still doesn't change the fact that it was _me_ who raped you." Ron said quietly, raising the blade to his wrist again.

"STOP!  Please just give me the knife, Ron.  We both need to get help, we can get through this!" Kim pleaded, taking a step toward him.  

"Go away Kim!  I didn't want you to have to see this!" Ron warned through clenched teeth.  He jerked the knife, slicing deeply into his skin once more before she came any closer.  

"NO!" She screeched at the sight of his blood spilling upon the floor.  She rushed forward and tackled him, grabbing his forearms to prevent him from trying to use the knife again. 

"Let go of me!"  Ron demanded, holding tight to the blade.  He struggled to free his arms from her vice-like grip, to no avail.  Shifting his weight, he managed to push her to the floor with his body. 

Even as she felt herself falling backwards, Kim refused to release her grip.  She pulled Ron down as well causing him to land roughly on top of her.  "If you're going to do this, you have to get through _me_ first!"  She grunted, then flipped them over so that she was in the dominant position. She released her grip on his arms and lunged for the knife, but Ron quickly blocked her attempt. 

"Don't make me fight you, KP. You know I can't hurt you." He begged, immobilizing her arm with his free hand—just as she had done to him.    

"Then stop being so damn stubborn Ron!"  She yelled, trying desperately to pull her arm out of his grasp.  

They both struggled against each other for more several minutes, neither accomplishing anything.  Ron finally groaned in defeat and allowed his body to go limp under her, tired and weak from the loss of blood that was constantly pouring from his wrist throughout the battle.  Kim breathed a sigh of relief when she was able to pin him down and grab the knife from his hand at last.  

When Kim rolled off of him, Ron sat up and started to cry, placing his head in his hands. "Why KP?  Why won't you let me have peace?" He moaned.  He only looked up when he felt her tightly wrapping a piece of material around his injured wrist to stop the bleeding.  His choking tears grew even fiercer when he realized that it was what remained of her mission shirt from the previous night. 

Kim knelt beside him put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. She'd seen him cry before, but never like this.  He was sobbing uncontrollably.  "I couldn't let you do it because I need you, Ron.  You're a part of me."  

"Last night you couldn't even look me in the eye.  How can things ever be the same?"  He asked desolately.

"Last night I was in shock.  It didn't sink in that it wasn't your fault until today.  I planned on coming to talk to you as soon as school let out, then I found your note…"

"I wish I'd never left that damn note, then you wouldn't have known and I'd be gone by now."  He sobbed. 

"STOP SAYING THAT RON!"  Kim screamed.  She wrapped her arms around him tenderly and started to weep as she realized that his actions were not just a cry for help.  He really wanted to die.  "You said you could never hurt me, but hearing you talk like this is killing me inside."

"I'm sorry, KP.  It's just that I don't know if I can go on like this.  You have no idea what kind of torture I'm going through in my head.  Thinking about the hell that I put you through is worse than death.  I still don't know how you can stand to look at me." 

"Because I know it wasn't you, Ron.  He may have looked like you and sounded like you, but he wasn't the Ron that I know."

"You're just trying to make me feel better." He said softly, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Damnit Ron!  Will you listen to me?   I'm not willing to lose you or our friendship over something beyond our control.  We're _going_ to get through this!" Kim tightened her arms around his body.  "I can't stand the thought of losing you because…"

"Because what?"  He looked into her tear-filled eyes questioningly.

"Because…I love you, Ron." She said and kissed his cheek affectionately.  

"I-I love you too, Kim.  I always have."  He whispered, touching his trembling hand to the spot where her lips had been.  

"Then promise me that you'll never try this again."  She pleaded.  

"The last thing I want to do is hurt you again, but to be honest I don't know if I can make that promise right now, KP."  

"Let's get out of this hellhole." She said, taking his hand in hers.  Although she wasn't satisfied with his answer, she decided not to press the issue.  She knew it was just going to take time and her unconditional love for him to understand that everything was going to be all right.  

AN:  Ron finally got his revenge.  Several of you suggested this in your reviews and that's how I got the idea…so thanks!!!  Also, I couldn't write an entire KP fic without Ron saying "Booyah" at least once.  :-)  

Anyway, there will be an epilogue for this chapter.  Should be out tomorrow.  Damn, I can't stop writing this fic!


	10. Alt Ending Epilogue

**Epilogue** Ten days later… 

Ron sat up in the uncomfortable bed and stretched his arms, yawning loudly.  He carefully unraveled the bandage around his wrist and inspected his cuts.  The doctor had told him that it would be a few more days before the stitches could be removed.  It didn't matter.  He wasn't getting out of this place anytime soon.  The psychiatric ward of the hospital would be his home for several more weeks yet.  

After they left the warehouse, Kim had convinced him to go to the hospital and have his injuries taken care of.  This, of course, posed the question on how he got the wounds.  There was no use lying about it since the answer was completely obvious to anyone with half a brain.  As soon as he admitted to it, a psychiatrist was sent to his room to assess his condition.  With Kim holding his hand tightly the whole time, the truth about _everything_ leaked out.  Afterwards, he was sent up to the psych ward and informed that he was too much of a threat to himself to be released.  

Ron's parents were called and told of the situation, which sent them speeding to the hospital in record time.  His mom was hysterical over the news that her only child had tried to commit suicide.  Luckily, Kim's mom was able to take a break between surgeries to come calm Mrs. Stoppable down to a semi-sane state.  As for Kim's parents, Ron was just surprised that they didn't want to finish the job for him after what he'd done to their daughter.  They were actually very concerned for his state of mind after hearing the story.

That same night, the warehouse burned to the ground—along with Drakken's body.  The authorities said that it was likely a group of "punk kids" looking for a thrill, but Kim knew the truth.  She wasn't about to let Ron go to jail for murdering that worthless bastard.  

Ron flopped back down on the pillow and sighed.  He just wanted to get out of there.  They had him taking massive doses of Prozac and he was forced to go to therapy every day to "work out his issues."  Ron thought the whole thing was idiotic because in reality he didn't feel much better.  He still secretly wished that he had died that day in the warehouse, but saying so would only condemn him to an even longer stay in the hospital.   

The door creaked open and Ron looked up to see Kim enter the room. "Hey!  How're you feeling?" She asked.

"I'd be better if I could get outta here."  He grumbled.

"Well, I brought you something that might cheer you up. Well, two things actually."  She revealed the paper bag that she had been hiding behind her back and dropped it in his lap.

"Booyah! Bueno Nacho!  You sure know the way to my heart, KP. Hospital food sucks!"  He dove into the bag like he hadn't eaten in weeks.  

"You're welcome."  She said with a smile.

"What's the other thing?"  Ron asked through a mouthful of Chimerito. 

Kim tapped her hand on her pocket and suddenly a little pink head appeared. Rufus immediately jumped onto Ron's shoulder and nuzzled against his face.  "Hey buddy!"  Ron exclaimed.  "Have the tweebs been treating you okay?"  

"Uh huh, Uh huh!"  Rufus nodded his head, and then dove into the Bueno Nacho bag to see if Ron had missed any crumbs.  

"I had to sneak him in cause the hospital has a strict 'no-rodent' policy.  Go figure."  Kim shrugged.

"Thanks for everything Kim." Ron said sincerely.

"No big.  You would do the same for me."

"Yeah." 

"Look, I can't stay.  Rufus and I are on the way to Europe.  The Seniors' have bought out every disco club between London and Paris.  No telling what they're up too this time, but it can't be good."  

"No telling." Ron said with a distant look in his eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow."  She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips, then picked up Rufus and placed him back in her pocket.  

"Be careful, KP." He called as she left the room.  

Ron leaned back and thought about how incredible Kim was.  With everything that had taken place, she was already back to saving the world.  After attending a few therapy sessions herself, she was able to bounce back to normal and put the entire incident behind her.  When she looked at him, there was nothing but love and concern in her eyes, as if nothing ever happened.

"She deserves so much more."  He mumbled aloud to himself.  The fact that she was able to forgive and forget so easily made him feel even worse.  He couldn't stand how she said that she loved him.  Not after what he did to her.  He didn't doubt the honesty of her words, but it would have made him feel better if she came into his room every day and beat the living hell out of him.  That's what he deserved—not her soft embrace and tender kisses.   

Everyone tried to instill in his mind that what happened wasn't his fault.  Ron knew it was true, but he couldn't get past the fact that _he_ did it, regardless of whose fault it was.  He did it and he would have to live with that knowledge for the rest of his life.  Night after night he was destined wake up in a cold sweat, screaming in anguish, just as he had done every night since it happened.  

A tear rolled down his cheek as the terrible memory began to creep its way into his mind once again.  He was supposed to call the nurse immediately if he started to feel angry or depressed again, but he couldn't deal with that right now.  He was sick of watching them scribble down their little notes about him while he answered their damn prodding questions.  

With a groan, Ron climbed out the bed and lifted up the mattress, cupping his hand around the small pills hidden there.  Each night since he was admitted to the hospital, they had brought him a strong sedative to help him sleep.  He had fooled the nurses every time by hiding the pills under his tongue as they waited for him to swallow them with a watchful eye.  When they left his room, he had carefully tucked them away for reasons not quite clear to him…until now.  

For ten days, Ron had held tight to the hope that he would begin to feel better.  That the torment and nightmares would start to fade just as Kim's had.  For ten days, nothing changed.  Sure, he had his high moments when Kim visited and reassured him that everything would be okay, but as soon as she was gone the pain would slowly sneak back in.   A sarcastic laugh escaped his lips as it finally sank in that it was all a load of crap.  They could give him all the therapy and drugs in the world and it still wouldn't make the gnawing agony that he felt inside go away.  

"Twenty."  Ron muttered aloud as he finished counting the pills.  "Should be enough."  If the schedule flowed normally, the nurses wouldn't be in with his dinner for at least an hour—plenty of time for the pills to have their effect.  

With a trembling hand, Ron shoved all twenty of the small pills into his mouth and downed them with a huge gulp of water.  He climbed back in the bed and laid flat on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling.  He knew that Kim would never be able to forgive him for this, but he had no choice.  He would never be able to forgive himself.  

THE END

AN:  Booyah!  Weren't expecting _that_, were you?  Sorry guys, but I just can't see Ron letting it go that easily. He just seems too sensitive and he's definitely the type that would develop mad issues over something like that.  I'll leave it up to your imagination whether or not they find him in time. ;-)

Seriously though, I would really like to thank **everyone** so much for all the great reviews.  I honestly never expected to get so many!  It makes me want to write something else, but I don't have any good ideas right now.  Winter break is almost over so I doubt I'll have much time either, but we'll see.  So there you have it—I'm done this time.  No really, I am!


End file.
